Isn't each year richer with what new & old friends add to our perspective, our joy & hug quotient, & lives?! Above, pictured with Maria in Erfurt, are Tony (from Taiwan) and Johan (from Holland). They are 2 college students whom our group met in Oklahoma on our Vision Trip. Tony was recently on a (literal) global tour (like Paul) to see friends. And especially to reconnect with former international students whom he'd helped with their adjustment to the USA (he studies architecture in Norman permanently). Tony is mentioned in a book about campus ministry, "The Fuel and the Flame." Maria is a dear friend, & will have an exchange semester/ internship at the BSU there this fall & winter.
My little "niece and nephew" (Jeffrey & Georgia, who live here but come from the state suggested by her name) came by for a "pool party" on my balcony (so what can you say about city living?)! I was impressed at how well they share a small space!! It's gotten a lot cooler since then, but we've had days in the 80's here, without air conditioning!
Little Georgia & I enjoyed the finger-lickin' good taste of KFC after church, when her family, Thomas & I were on a team retreat to Prague. I tried a new Pepsi cola, which is the color of ginger ale. By the way, in case you were wondering, this photo is also special because I don't have access to a KFC unless I travel to another city, maybe 2 hours away!!
Jennifer & Tommy came from Texas (Garland) to minister in nearby Weimar, along with a large group of their church's high schoolers. I first met Jen in 2001 (she was attending Baylor then) when she was a semester missionary in Jena working with youth. The two of them have been o
n about 7 trips to Germany to organize similar trips.
I drove over to Weimar one Sunday to see what their group had been up to-- actually it was a HUGE Christian musical at the convention center, written by the Baptist church folks, & composed by Rick & Nancy Dill's son-in-law, Jarrod (married to Laura, for those who know the family). 168 kids sang & danced & acted in a play on the stage (Germans & Americans). The Dills came to Weimar in 1991, to pastor a church of 11 members & help grow it, with a passion for people & a contagious vision! Now several hundred attend 2 worship services on Sundays & home groups during the week. Rick & Nancy also stood right beside me, like family, during some very tough decisions last year when I had back surgery, and we met with the neurological surgery chief of staff together. Danke sehr, liebe Freunde!
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